Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that my new book, Things That Matter, is finally here. I put my heart into it, and I can’t wait to share it with you. You can pick up a copy at www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/676394/things-that-matter-by-joshua-becker/
I'm so glad to hear. Mine are 10 and 12, and I wonder if I should separate them but I don't want to give up my 3rd bedroom (currently also a study/TV room. I live in a small 3-bedroom apartment
That's awesome! My brothers shared a room their whole childhood until they moved out. They aren't that close now. (40s) I think them sharing a space was bad for them and made them push away from eachother. I was lucky as the only girl so I had my own room always.
My sons and I downsized several years ago from over 3000 square feet to 1600. I noticed right away that being physically closer to each other brought us closer as a family. Sometimes you just need to bump into each other in the hallway and turn it into a hug.
Here in England are houses are much smaller than in the USA, we're quite happy with that as we don't know any different. Smaller houses suit our climate as they are easy to keep warm and cosy in autumn and winter
We are in our 70's and live in about 1200 sq. feet. We also feel we could live comfortable in even less space. This is already our 3rd. down size. It's so peaceful having less things.
The reasons are: 1 easier to mentain 2 easier to clean 3 less expensive 4 family binds easier 5 less environmental impact 6 mentally freeing 7 owing a higher quality home 8 less temptation to accumulate 9 a wider market to re sell 10 more time, Money, and energy....
You are so spot on. We bought a 2000 sq feet home built on a 7000sq ft lot. It was intentional. We wanted a bigger yard and kitchen garden. I cant believe people think a 2000 sq feet house is small here. We love it. Kids have their own rooms and it is a one story home so I have kids around me, not tucked in their second story bedrooms. Blessed.
Love this ❤ We just moved to the smallest place we've ever lived and I love it. I originally was going to purchase a cordless vacuum but ended up getting a corded one. Turns out I can reach my whole place vacuuming without having to switch outlets 😁
You’re the first person who explicitly wrote down what I’ve thought ever since I left my parent’s house (huge) and lived by myself in an apartment. If your vacuum can’t reach most places from a few sockets, your property is too big for you!
I recently bought a small 2 story cabin by a creek in the mountains of North Georgia and I LOVE it. We can surely live very comfortably with much less stuff.
Also, you may ask yourself what devices and/or units you actually need. Freezer, dishwasher, hairdryer (at least out of winter), TV, other big screen... If you don't have them, no anxiety they might fail you, no panic when they actually do (hypothetically in this case), no costs for repair and/or replacement, less (bulky) garbage, more space, a lot easier to change places - in short, contrary to advertising, much more freedom without them.
Totally Agree! I am tired of paying $300/month for heating and cooling. It is insanity! lol Looking forward to downsizing my living space and removing the clutter from my life.
Great points mentioned. Have always enjoyed living in a studio apartment here in Switzerland. As you said, less cleaning and a very good simple lifestyle. Time to enjoy the wonderful beauty of this country and having time to do whatever I wish. Also no mortgage or debt whatsoever. Life is highly enjoyable for me.
We live in a 1200 or so sq foot home for 43yrs. There was a time i felt like we were not considered as good as others.but it is paid for and i think it is so cozy and perfect now.I have been asked how i keep my home so clean.not as much to clean, hee hee.easy pezzy to keep it nice
I"ve just sold my 2000 sq ft house with a large yard to move into a 550sqft condo. And I can't wait. No mortgage, no yardwork, all the time and money to travel, and less things but nice things.
YES! That's one of the reasons that we bought a small home, aside from the fact that it just what I wanted. My dream home has been a quality built small home for many years. Due to being in the military for over 21 years, I moved a lot and lived in all kinds of houses/townhouses. I learned EXACTLY what I liked and had a list when we decided to purchase again. This home checked all of the boxes while not breaking the bank.
I agree. Why do we think need all this alone space when 90% of us grow up get married and share a bed 🤷🏼♀️ I think your more flexible as a person when you have to share space with others. To much alone time can cause you to “not play well with others”
I live in a 400 sq. ft park model tiny house and love it. I have to declutter some of my furniture because it's too crowded. I have found the worst things to depart with is collections. I have managed to give up some of my things but it's still hard.
Hi Rita - I know it is tough living in less square footage. I will be going from 1,500 sq. ft. to 416 sq. ft. One trick I am planning when I build my 416 sq. ft. house, is to utilize all of my wall space - whether that be built in shelving, or shelving attached to the wall. You can literally put everything on the walls now - lol Take pictures of your collections before you get rid of them - do what I did...invest in some digital photo frames that shuffle through your photos and you can see your collection (and can display your collection through photos for guests...) any time that you want to see them. Or take photos of the collections and frame them art gallery style on your walls. ♥
You had a 2300 sq. ft. home (most likely with) a basement in VT and moved to a 1600 sq. ft. home (most likely) without one in AZ, which, from what I've felt when looking at homes in AZ, is a HUGE difference! My parents have a 1600 sq. ft. condo in "The Valley" and when I visit, I really think about how few possessions one can have in a space like that to not be buried in stuff. In 1985 we moved from a 1 BR apartment to a 1600 sq. ft. home (with a basement). We were able to move ourselves with a couple trips with the rental truck. Moved to a 2300 sq. ft. home years later and despite spending a week carrying car loads of stuff to the new house, completely filled a moving van. We've since added 300+ sq. ft. on to the house (expanded the basement too since it's a walkout, but basement sq. footage isn't included in the total). I wasn't the instigator behind the larger house or the addition, but I went along with it. I've always felt that I was happiest in our first home despite being in the larger home over 20 years now. I'm not unhappy now, but we have so much stuff it's insane. I've begun to get rid of unused/unneeded things as I'm terrified about what life will be like if we find that we need to move/downsize and I no longer have the energy/capacity to deal with it. Anyway, thank you so much for your videos that help me realize what I really need/want to do!
Oh Joshua! You rocked this video 🎉 Great work man. Nice b roll and pace. We have lived in our 1600 sq ft home for 24 years! Raised 2 kiddos here, now empty nest. When friends are downsizing at this life stage I smile because I get to keep my beautiful country home that I love! However... clutter has accumulated over 2 decades of family life, so you and Dawn are helping me reverse that 😍...thank you!!
When we bought our home we had 2 boys .... while living there we had 2 more boys. We raised 4 boys in a 1400 sq ft home. (with no garage). Were there times I wish we had more space? Sure but now that all my boys are grown (27,26,22,19) and our house will be paid for this year I am super happy we stuck it out!
We currently live in a 3,500 square foot home. We bought it because there are 6 people in our home. My mom lives with us and we wanted everyone to have their own space. I feel blessed to have our home but I have never been able to truly maintain it and it is becoming a burden. I feel terrible saying that but it’s too much. Minimizing has helped. I am ready to move to a smaller home. Something about 1,800 square feet.... thanks Joshua. I really enjoy your videos.
I’m the youngest of 10 children, I grew up in a 3 bedroom home. 1 room for parents, 1 for 4 boys (1full size bed and set bunk beds, 1 room for 6 girls with 2 full size beds, 3 in each bed. I was 5 before actually sleeping with my sisters. Eventually the older kids moved out leaving 1 boy in a room and 1room i SHARED with my sister. were we giggled, talked , and participated it that that wonderful sport of Kicking Fighting.. Let’s not forget the 1 bathroom we all shared. I think the word of the day was SHARING. Whats funny is, once our kids were grown, my sister and I live in apartments right across from the other. 🤷♀️
I too have moved from a 2300sf house to a 1500sf condo built in the early 70's, that needs updating. As I plan to replace appliances, I will be going against current trends by buying smaller appliances. Current trend for refrigerators is toward a huge double or even triple door refrigerator. There are 3 markets very near my place so I'll be using a refrigerator under 16cf. The thinking is, why not let the grocery store keep the food cold? A smaller dishwasher means more cabinet space in the smaller kitchen. No to double ovens and 5/6 burner cooktops that are used once a year. Lots of opportunities to size down and occupy a smaller footprint and use less resources.
I love the idea of living in a smaller house. I lived in a 700 sq ft apartment which I loved since it was much easier to maintain and didn’t consume so much of my weekend so I could do other things I enjoy doing. When I was able to buy a house I ended up buying one twice the size of my apartment. It came with furniture plus I brought a lot of my own. After living here for three years I am so ready to go back to something smaller, even smaller than my apartment, about a 1/3 if the size of my house. As I get closer to retirement I want to be able to do things and not spend a lot of time cleaning and maintaining. There is a large percentage of my house that I really don’t use and could easily live without. Also I want to pair down the furniture I have. I like the openness of empty rooms. So freeing of mind and spirit. I love watching your channel. I am contemplating a move to a different state as well and will be searching for a tiny house filled with only the things that mean most to me.
Good for you! I like small spaces. I just retired a couple of weeks ago and downsized to a 600 square foot house. It is a stucco cottage in southern Ontario on a lot that’s quite large. That means I get to grow my own food and I am very close to lake Simcoe. It’s at the bottom of my street. I have gotten rid of so much stuff, but I will be getting a new paddle board. I couldn’t be happier. Hurray for small town life!! I couldn’t be more thrilled.
Great video, I agree with all your points. Our family of 5 went from living in a 2600 sqft home with a fully finished 1300 sqft basement to an apartment just under 1000 sqft. No regrets.
Almost 3 years ago, our family of 2 adults, 2 teens and 2 dogs moved states for work. We left a 1600sq ft 2floor house with a big double garage and moved into a 1000sq ft condo with no garage. We downsized our possessions so much that we were able to drive away from our previous home with only a single UHaul truck of things. It’s been liberating! I’ll never go back.
I went from 1200 sq ft town house to 400 sq ft - just me and my daughter- 12 yrs ago love it - in Staten Island NY - in one of the best neighborhood - and no mortgage! Living free and happy
The home my former husband and I owned years ago was a "cottage home" built in the 1930's in what is now a trendy neighborhood. It wasn't when we purchased the house in the early 80's. It was approximately 1400 sq feet; 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, large utility room, deck and decent size back yard. When I sold the house I moved into a 1 bedroom apartment that was less than half the size. I held an "estate sale" since I was selling the majority of the big items in the house including stereo set, washer/dryer, dining table, etc. I LOVED the smaller space. I've now moved several times to various 1 bedroom apartments, my current being 624 sq. feet and I've been thinking of looking for a smaller 1 bedroom or a nice studio. Amazing the relatively small amount of space one really "needs."
I really like the idea of being able to put quality into the upgrades for a smaller home. I am in the early stages of minimalizing, but I look forward to the freedom of space and peacefulness with the results.
Joshua, I am an older adult who owned her own homes for many years. When I wanted to move to the town of my dreams I was unable to afford something desirable, so I chose to rent an apartment. I'm surprised that this is the right choice for me at this stage of my life, but it makes sense for several reasons: I no longer have the emotional and financial stress of home maintenance. There is a sense of community because many people live in close proximity. If I ever want to make a different choice, all I need to do is wait for my lease to expire and I can be out.
👍 Me and my husband live in 1,056 s.f. We have a 1 car, detached garage. We plan to sell and will be looking for a home with an attached garage (better suited for our age and convenience). We would like to have a sunroom and we don't want anything larger than a 1,200 s.f. home. 🏡
Our home is 1050 sq. ft. on the main floor. We alao have a full basement but don't use it a lot. We are a family of 4, I'm a working mom with a disabled husband, and have just started our minimalism journey. I completely feel like I can't keep our small house clean and can't wait until we have even less stuff. I completely agree with all your points. Thanks for this video and the renewed inspiration it has brought me!
Hello! I watch your channel from Athens Greece. I'm trying to simplify my life and I like your advices. However, your home is much bigger than the apartments that the average family of four owns in Greece. We are happy if we live in 1300 sq.f. Anyway, l love your stance of life and you inspire me to make changes. Thank you so much.
I live in Copenhagen (capital of Denmark) in a 47 squaremeter appartement with my two sons age 19 and 20. Close to the center, lots of shops, cafés, public transportation etc. The rent is tiny and we enjoy the freedom that comes with that. I now only work 4 days a week and that helps me overcome a hard job. Moving to this place is one of the best decisions I've made in my life. Greetings from Camilla in Denmark
We currently live in an 1100 sq ft home. We just sold and since we’re empty nesters, we’re moving into a brand new home we’re building - 840 sq feet. Can’t wait and agree with your views totally!
Joshua, all of this, just all of it, is us. This sounds like us! Our family is a family of four, too. One son, older, one daughter, younger. We went from 2600 sq ft to just over 1400 sq ft, only difference is....we made this switch ( 3 yrs ago ) when our kids were 19 and 15, so we made this switch when our son was ready to be on his own, finishing college. We then downsized to just over 1400 sq ft with just our daughter still at home with us. Yes, for every single reason that you have mentioned, we love this change, too ! And funny, my husband and I have talked about these same points ( resale, higher quality home, easy to maintain, safe neighborhood). If you read this, it's a shout out to say, "Hello from MO:)" Your book, The More of Less , helped to jumpstart this journey for us. God's Blessings to you and yours 😊
My husband and I went from a 1500 sq ft penthouse in a city of over a million to a 300 sq ft 5th wheel in a rural town of 4500 people. It was exhilarating to get rid of all that STUFF. We continue to purge every season, clothes, seasonal items etc. Although it is small to clean, you have more to move more things around. It is paid for and we live a much fuller lifestyle. You don't need to go shopping for things you use once. We are happily almost retired and when we do we can travel more once the borders open up. Thank you so much for your inspirational videos, minimalism is the way to go, it really is.
Totally agree. At one point about 10 years ago I did sort of wish we could have a bigger house, but about 8 years ago started to be so grateful for our “used to be normal size” 3 bedroom house. Easy to clean and maintain, more than enough room for family of 3, easy to spend time together, and most importantly has a lovely vibe and we all enjoy being home (even our university aged daughter). It’s our reasonably minimalist (except for our daughters room:) happy place. Who could wish for more.
What about being minimalist in eating .while eating ask yourself after a minute is it enough .be sure your body answer you yes.I am a minimalist a few days a go .and happy to tell you being minimalist in eating is very interesting.I love your voice your speaking and your mannner
Gbwvvdd Xsjkeekgn might I also add, you should ask yourself, do I need meat/dairy/eggs when a plant-based diet is more environmentally conscious, efficient and free of unnecessary cruelty and burden on natural resources? For example, the average farmed animal consumes 16 times more plant food (including soy) than 1 person on a plant-based diet. Most of the world’s grains feed farmed animals, thereby causing world hunger in developing countries.
We moved into this 2000 sq ft split level home 2 yrs ago n even tho we love it I’m having knee issues at 61 yrs old. I wanted to down size to a smaller home single level but I have specific needs for the next house. Getting rid of 28 yrs of accumulated stuff is overwhelming but this video is very encouraging. Thank you
Studied interior design with the New York School of Interior Design. First lesson of good design, restraint! "less is more"! Too bad many designers don't follow that basic rule of thumb, many overdo it! Thanks for sharing 10 good reasons for going smaller! Love my small home as well, much cozier and yes, easier to maintain! Also , better for the environment!
Great video! I love having a small(ish) house. We have 3 kids and live in a 1400sq foot house and it’s perfect. I have no desire for a large home. It’s so fast and easy to tidy up and clean, and much more economical. And a lot less expensive. I’d rather put my extra money towards retirement and travel an having higher quality furnishings.
Best home we ever bought was a new 3bd 2ba 1200 sq ft house in East Mesa AZ that was incredibly well designed. For a builder grade home, it shined. It housed me, my wife, and our three children. It had a slightly longer garage that allowed us to house two desks from the model home sales office they discarded plus wire shelving on wheels that held gardening supplies and tools. We managed to fit a Geo Prizm and Chrysler Voyager minivan in it too. It was snug but workable. We thought we were going to be taking care of my mother due to her vision problems so we sold our little house thinking we'd go in together on a larger home. Turns out she was exaggerating her vision problem so we opted out but it was too late to stay in our cute little home. The buyer wouldn't back out. The next home (1,688 sq ft) had one extra bedroom with the same exact dimensions as the secondary bedrooms of the smaller home and added a family room. We almost never used the living room. The Mbr was exactly the same size as the smaller home with a slightly larger bathroom. All we did was to separate our boys into their own rooms. Upkeep on this home was monstrous compared to the smaller one. If you don't think 500 sq ft more doesn't make a big difference, think again. I marvel how much stuff we accumulated in the 12 years we lived in it. When we moved to Wyoming for me to attend Bible College, we got rid of enough stuff to occupy a 650 sq ft 2bd 1.5ba student apartment with all we owned. School officials marveled at how we were able to fit everything we owned from such a large house (by comparison) into such a small space. It was an adventure but I'd have gotten rid of more if I had to do it all over again.
I live in a massive house (with my parents and sister) , and I will definitely not be continuing the trend for my own family. I’m grateful for the life I have, but I can go days without seeing my family... and we are trying to redecorate, and it’s such a giant fast because of how many rooms and how much space there is.
I love your home! My husband and I have lived in a "small" home for over a year now and we love it. We found an adorable newly constructed brick ranch in a great neighborhood, so we pounced. We were also able to keep the price point lower, as we are determined to pay off our home very quickly. I ENJOY cleaning my home and it doesn't take much to get my chores finished. Despite the size (1650 sq ft) it is neat and clutter-free, thanks to minimalism. It's very cozy and inviting as well. I've also noticed that the smaller ranch homes in my neighborhood sell very quickly. I guess there are many others who appreciate a small home as well. My ONLY regret in purchasing this home is that we did not pay to get hardwood floors throughout, but as you mentioned, the cost will be minimal to replace our carpets with the flooring that we prefer.
In 2020 I bought myself a one room apartment in Oslo, and I love it. I have given away alot of furniture and stuff since I moved here, and I have not struggeled with that at all.....For me declutter and minimalism is peace, love and happiness !!! I will live in this apartement for the rest of my life !!! I have never thought of this one room as too small, but everyday I am grateful for what I have.
Thank you as always for your insight into living minimally and intentionally. My husband and I went from 1800 to 1400 to now an apartment of 825. We love it! My family doesn’t understand or like our minimalist lifestyle but don’t care! I feel they are missing out. Less space, less stuff, happy life!
This video was simply a joy to watch. I especially loved the smile at the end of the part where you talked about how a small house facilitates your family working out conflicts. You seemed so at ease!
Amazing! You have just validated my theory all along. I have had been contemplating moving to a bigger home but then after much thought there are more important things in life than being in debt. Ironically not looking to get rich but with my smaller home I have more money than someone living in an upscale neighbourhood. Looking ahead I will have more money in the bank when I retire than those who are on a mortgage for life.Seeing a big light at the end of the tunnel❤️ BTW, I live in a 1600 square foot home and it has tripled in price since I purchased. I know not many are as fortunate but start small and you will get there!
Wow,I've lived in the same 1356 sq ft home for 27 yrs,raised 5 children here,and could easily live in a 700 sq ft home.Though property tax's would be much more,really do not want to give 7% to a realtor,uncle sam,and countless other expenses associated with moving .A year ago I began renting 4 of the 6 bedrooms for $2160 mo income,nearly utilizing all the space.Now at 53, I enjoy living on the rent money,still live on less than I make,and love life of experiences taking in every moment with family,loved ones and friends.
We live in Sydney and bought a small home and in 14 yrs time we paid it off,we just live within our means. Your wisdom is a blessing,watching your videos is so enlightening.
We are a family of 4 (2 under 3 yrs) and live in a house that is 600 sq ft. Yeah...i don't know if i can agree with the cleaning part. But that's because i have two toddlers that destroy everything everyday regardless of how much i clean 😅
I live in a 1000 sq ft condo with my remaining two sons. One is grown and on his own. It is a great size for us. The only problem is we have to rent because I can’t find a small enough home I like to buy. All of the homes in my area are larger than I want. It seems almost like they build them that way to try to force people to take on as much mortgage as possible. When my sons (twins) graduate high school (2021, thank God!) I’m going to look into moving to a different area so that I can purchase a small home I like.
Empty nesters, still living in a 4300 sq ft house in central Georgia..have been decluttering for several years...I want to downsize so badly but not sure where I want to live (want to leave Columbus Ga). I love my house but am ready for less maintenance, lower monthly bills, NO POOL, etc. Help!
I’m in a similar situation. Have almost finished decluttering. Best method was to only keep what I used and have never missed anything I gave away and have loved the peace and the tranquility of less stuff. Packing party technique was also good for this. Not sure where I want to move too long term but am just going to bite the bullet and make the first step. Have told myself that if I don’t like the next place then it’s ok and I can always move again. Much easier now with less stuff.
We live in a 1230 square foot personage. We are debt free and we have 2 teens. We like it and I'm content. We all get along well and I love being a minimalist. I enjoy your channel.
1600 square feet? I live in 870 square feet with my two sons and 4 Cats. This is the “normal” size of an apartment in Austria. Also the kitchen is 3 times as big as mine 🤣. This is so interesting.
I think you're onto an important point: while the average Austrian home is smaller than the average (newer) American home, the number of rooms is comparable. While a larger kitchen can be nice for entertaining guests, most of the extra space in an American house is not particularly useful. There's really no reason that bathrooms and bedrooms need to be large enough to fit 20 people inside them, but that's often how big they are.
I used to can't wait for the day I had a huge home, after becoming minimalist I can't do that anymore and doesn't interest me anymore. I like my apartment and I'm able to have everything I need and don't need any more.
I completely agree with you Joshua! BTW - Loving all of your videos on Minimalism and taking note of each and every tip you give. I am designing and planning (and saving) to build a smaller home for myself. I have managed to design a home that only has 415.2 sq. ft. It is bigger than a tiny home, and will be built slab on grade. I am older (56 years old) and after living with a hoarder for almost 20 years and being stressed out over the clutter, not to mention I am highly allergic to dust and 12 years ago became chemically sensitive...I just gravitated towards the minimalist lifestyle. I initially wanted to build a "tiny house" but decided that would be too small for me...lol. However, I was able to get great tips on creative ways to store things researching tiny house shows/videos/websites. I can personally attest to clutter can make you sick, and spending all of my time cleaning is simply insane. My husband is the hoarder, and I am letting go of things that don't really matter...and keeping things that bring me "joy". I have been able to let go of almost half of the things I own! I will continue to pare it down even more. My husband refuses to seek help for his problem and won't allow me to help...so he might be another thing I may have to "let go of" in the near future. It isn't worth being sick over. I wanted to share something I did that helped me and will hopefully help other folks. I had drawers filled with cards that I had received over the past 20 years, drawings my daughter did throughout her school days, and anything that was hand-made. All of these things are very dear to me, however, they were simply taking up too much room. What I did: I scanned everything. I scanned the front and back of cards, I scanned the envelopes with name and addresses, I scanned all of my daughter's art-work and cards from her over the years. If I could scan it - - I did. I then saved it to a file on my computer - - then I put them on USB sticks - - I also put them all on an external hard drive (for backup). I then threw all of it away. The cards, the art-work, etc. (And yes - it was very hard to part with some of the things my daughter did...I actually cried over some). I then invested in 3 electronic photo frames. Using the USB sticks, I am now able to display all of it and see it anytime I want. I even put them on a DVD and made some movies using my Movie Maker software program and set it to Music. The point - - I freed 6 drawers that now have space for other things that I use on a daily basis. And I have all of the cards/art work saved where I can watch them as a movie, or watch them on my digital photo frames. Hope this helps! Thanks again for all of your tips and thank you so much for doing these videos!!!!! It has helped me greatly, and I am on my way to living my own Minimalist/Happy Life. :)
In our mid-60’s and downsizing after having raised a very large family… It’s still a sizable house (from 2600 - 2300) but all on one floor, with just 2 BR + den.. Small living spaces with large gathering zones for our X-lg family and 24 grandkids! Scaling down is real and vital… this is indeed a total makeover in my life-emphasis & daily focus! Less “schtuff n junque” will ease alot; including relationship tensions. Pray me thru the transition and paring process, people!! 🤣
I know it’s a different world than when I grew up (1960s Connecticut ‘burbs), but I think 1600 SF for a family of four is large. My growing up home saw a family of 6 live in 1000 SF with ONE bathroom, a challenge? Yes. Trying at times? For sure! But, we did okay. 2200 SF for a family of 4 is just astounding to me.
I,m Dutch. It is always funny to read the stories about small houses and kitchens (sorry). Sometimes I see a "small" kitchen bigger than an entire Dutch house. I grew up in a 600 square feet house with 3 brothers and a sister. I plan to move to a 55+ apartment next year which is going to be about 700 square feet. The standard size senior apartment (all rental) is not even 400 square feet
I am doing the same moving from the country in Texas from a 2,400sqft house to a 1,600sqft in Austin, we are 3. i am so happy it will be easier to maintain, less in property tax, closer to work, less expensive, etc..
We did the same downsizing! 2200 ft.² to 1600 ft.². In California, the mortgage is double and the taxes are double of Tennessee. We miss our old house, but I have been decluttering and it feels more spacious. I grew up in 1100 ft.². Your home is so much bigger than many other places. It’s not that small
Wow! You moved from Vermont to Arizona? Seriously!? Can’t imagine leaving Vermont. Beautiful lush mountains, fresh water, good healthy organic food in abundance to dry, hot, bland (did I mention hot). /Great points in video.
I agree with your reasons for loving a small home. Many of our family members were concered that we weren't going to buy a big enough house for our family (4 kids). But honestly, we love our home. It would stress me out to have a bigger one!
I agree! We just moved and smaller is better. Keeping it clean is easier, less expensive, and I enjoy the openness of not crowding it with stuff (that I have been decluttering in the last year). And I actually made money while decluttering! Win Win!
Great reasons to endorse smaller living spaces. With families and children in particular being so busy with all the extra curricular activities, how much time do families actually spend in their homes? I especially loved your point on the separation of people when they are home. My grandkids text their parents from their bedrooms. Makes me so sad 😞
I recently bought a brand new one bed 60sq metre apartment. Its beautiful and plenty of space for me. But people ask why didnt i get a bigger place, I should get 2 bedrooms or buy a house?? Why would i need so much space when i live alone? And why would i want a bigger mortage that i cant afford? I'd rather have a small home and more money :)
Great video. My first home was 1800 square feet with a small yard. My second home over 2400 square feet on 1 acre. I am so ready to downsize again. yard is too much work and maintaining the house is hard to keep up with.
You can definitely afford higher quality items in a smaller home if you wish. Also holidays😅. Agree you are also limited on storage so buy less. We live in the UK in a 'bungalow' it has 5 rooms and this includes kitchen and bathroom
We downsized from 4,400 to 2,600 sq. ft. (retired) and it was so liberating. We still have plenty of room but so much less responsibility. Our property taxes are 20% of what they were. We also live in a community where we can downsize again if we want to. Also have plenty of assisted living if we ever need it. We can age in place where we live now.
Big house is not only about living, it's an investment. If you make enough money they have to work instead of feeding inflation. Real estate is a good investment.
Twenty years ago we bought a big home (3700 sq.ft.) At the time we did it because we loved the neighbourhood and also knew it would be a good investment. It has been a tremendous investment. The one negative that bothers me the most is that we have been able to bring a lot of clutter into it. After so many years we have a lot of decluttering to do. I’m very eager and motivated to do so but my husband and 23 year old son are not. I have started but there’s only so much I can do.😥
Lynn here we went to a senior apt.two coat closets is our only storage .needless to say we had to downsize.we have just what we need in a 500 ft. Apt. I think your new home is huge lol
We are in a 2800 sqft house. I would LOVE to downsize but my husband is totally against moving. Our house is on 3 lots in town and we have no neighbors directly beside and he loves the outdoor space and I get we will never find another place with a backyard like ours but jeezz we did our roof 2 years ago, well $17,000 later.... If that doesn't want to make him move I dont think anything will..
Our family of 4 lives in a 2 bedroom home. We have 2 boys and they have bunk beds ( until recently the youngest has been in our room and is transitioning to sleeping on the bottom bunk at night). I was talking to my friend’s about it and she told me that she was one of 6 siblings that grew up in a 2 bedroom home. The parents and the girls had a bedroom and the boys had beds wherever there was space. There was a day bed at the end of the hallway for one, and by the time the youngest came around the only space for his crib was next to the tv. He’s in his 60s now and perfectly fine. The only thing is, he still needs the tv on really loud to be able to fall asleep.😂. I guess my point is that people have been making small houses work for families of all sizes for forever, kids are adaptable, and it’s all going to be ok.
Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that my new book, Things That Matter, is finally here. I put my heart into it, and I can’t wait to share it with you. You can pick up a copy at www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/676394/things-that-matter-by-joshua-becker/
My family home was 7500 sq ft . Now I'm 64 retired living alone . I bought 900 sq ft condo downtown Montreal - close to everything. I LOVE IT !!!👍😊
@Deb To be honest I needed to dispose of everything !!! , complete change of decor . I feel rejuvenated 👍😘
My two boys have shared a room for their entire lives ( now 23 and 19) and I have never seen 2 boys be better friends then my sons are to each other.
I'm so glad to hear. Mine are 10 and 12, and I wonder if I should separate them but I don't want to give up my 3rd bedroom (currently also a study/TV room. I live in a small 3-bedroom apartment
I had an older sister and we "shared" a room. Carol shared NOTHING! I still hate to be around her. She is still so mean.
Lucky you. I had to separate my daughter's otherwise they fought.
That's awesome! My brothers shared a room their whole childhood until they moved out. They aren't that close now. (40s) I think them sharing a space was bad for them and made them push away from eachother. I was lucky as the only girl so I had my own room always.
Yes, thats a good way to rise them. Like in the old times.
*I want to live in a smaller house but with a huuuuuuuugge garden full of flowers, fruits and veges!* 🌷🌸🌵🌹🍀🌻🌺🍃🍂🍁🌼🌿🍍🍓🍒🍑🍐🍅🍆🍇🍈🍉🍋🍊🍏🍎
Oh yes, me too... outside bigggg !!! :))))
A bit excessive with the emogis
@@SirenaSpades Come on you know I LOVE YOU don't give me negativity 🤗
I love the emojis. Gorgeous collection of flowers, fruits, veggies!!
@@lauramullinax8977 You're soo sweet😍😊❤
My sons and I downsized several years ago from over 3000 square feet to 1600. I noticed right away that being physically closer to each other brought us closer as a family. Sometimes you just need to bump into each other in the hallway and turn it into a hug.
Here in England are houses are much smaller than in the USA, we're quite happy with that as we don't know any different. Smaller houses suit our climate as they are easy to keep warm and cosy in autumn and winter
I always think this watching American videos. Their small houses are as big as our huge ones.
I also feel like our "minimalist" rooms look very different because we almost never have closets.
They have more land mass and that makes it cheaper to buy.
Everything is bigger there. Food,houses,Cars, people.
@@tximeleta35 waist lines...
We are in our 70's and live in about 1200 sq. feet. We also feel we could live comfortable in even less space. This is already our 3rd. down size. It's so peaceful having less things.
I know what you mean! Like lightening up the burden of living!
Family of 5 and we downsized from 1800 to 940 sq ft. We LOVE our small home.
I agree with all your points! We went from 2100+ to 900 square feet four years ago and couldn't be happier with small house living.
The reasons are:
1 easier to mentain
2 easier to clean
3 less expensive
4 family binds easier
5 less environmental impact
6 mentally freeing
7 owing a higher quality home
8 less temptation to accumulate
9 a wider market to re sell
10 more time, Money, and energy....
Thankyou 😊
I was hoping someone did this!!!
You are so spot on. We bought a 2000 sq feet home built on a 7000sq ft lot. It was intentional. We wanted a bigger yard and kitchen garden. I cant believe people think a 2000 sq feet house is small here. We love it. Kids have their own rooms and it is a one story home so I have kids around me, not tucked in their second story bedrooms. Blessed.
Love this ❤ We just moved to the smallest place we've ever lived and I love it. I originally was going to purchase a cordless vacuum but ended up getting a corded one. Turns out I can reach my whole place vacuuming without having to switch outlets 😁
Terry Elisabeth Organizing & Finances Me too!
900 square feet here, and I can do the same. I absolutely LOVE it.
😍😍😍
You’re the first person who explicitly wrote down what I’ve thought ever since I left my parent’s house (huge) and lived by myself in an apartment. If your vacuum can’t reach most places from a few sockets, your property is too big for you!
Amazing!
I recently bought a small 2 story cabin by a creek in the mountains of North Georgia and I LOVE it. We can surely live very comfortably with much less stuff.
You are so blessed! That is my dream home! To be so close to nature and in a small cozy home!
You forgot to mention that it takes less energy to cool or heat a home! Huge benefits living in a small home!
Also, you may ask yourself what devices and/or units you actually need. Freezer, dishwasher, hairdryer (at least out of winter), TV, other big screen... If you don't have them, no anxiety they might fail you, no panic when they actually do (hypothetically in this case), no costs for repair and/or replacement, less (bulky) garbage, more space, a lot easier to change places - in short, contrary to advertising, much more freedom without them.
Totally Agree! I am tired of paying $300/month for heating and cooling. It is insanity! lol Looking forward to downsizing my living space and removing the clutter from my life.
Great points mentioned. Have
always enjoyed living in a studio
apartment here in Switzerland.
As you said, less cleaning and
a very good simple lifestyle. Time
to enjoy the wonderful beauty of
this country and having time to do
whatever I wish. Also no mortgage or debt whatsoever. Life is highly enjoyable for me.
1 11 I agree with you and the great video👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
My concern is living space the point of a pin head and cost to live there all or more of your income.
What is actually studio apartment? Does it mean that it has open spaces?Thanks
@@bellahnemetona5924 studio is one room for living and sleeping in UK
@@ewilson9435 Thank you
We live in a 1200 or so sq foot home for 43yrs. There was a time i felt like we were not considered as good as others.but it is paid for and i think it is so cozy and perfect now.I have been asked how i keep my home so clean.not as much to clean, hee hee.easy pezzy to keep it nice
True. Important to scale down, especially if one is older. Less space; less work, clutter and responsibility.
Love your calm demeanor and minimalist voice,it’s so refreshing in this world where people can’t be quiet lol
I have a small home. It’s within my price range. I don’t live above my means. Therefore I sleep better. 😀
I"ve just sold my 2000 sq ft house with a large yard to move into a 550sqft condo. And I can't wait. No mortgage, no yardwork, all the time and money to travel, and less things but nice things.
lower utility bills
YES! That's one of the reasons that we bought a small home, aside from the fact that it just what I wanted. My dream home has been a quality built small home for many years. Due to being in the military for over 21 years, I moved a lot and lived in all kinds of houses/townhouses. I learned EXACTLY what I liked and had a list when we decided to purchase again. This home checked all of the boxes while not breaking the bank.
I agree. Why do we think need all this alone space when 90% of us grow up get married and share a bed 🤷🏼♀️ I think your more flexible as a person when you have to share space with others. To much alone time can cause you to “not play well with others”
I think it depends largely on how healthy and safe those others are
I live in a 400 sq. ft park model tiny house
and love it. I have to declutter some of my furniture because it's too crowded. I have found the worst things to depart with is collections. I have managed to give up some of my things but it's still hard.
That is a small home..this guy saying 1600 is small!!! Hope you are happy!!
Hi Rita - I know it is tough living in less square footage. I will be going from 1,500 sq. ft. to 416 sq. ft. One trick I am planning when I build my 416 sq. ft. house, is to utilize all of my wall space - whether that be built in shelving, or shelving attached to the wall. You can literally put everything on the walls now - lol Take pictures of your collections before you get rid of them - do what I did...invest in some digital photo frames that shuffle through your photos and you can see your collection (and can display your collection through photos for guests...) any time that you want to see them. Or take photos of the collections and frame them art gallery style on your walls. ♥
And think about donating your collections to charity or someone that has admired them in the past, so they can now be enjoyed by someone else. ♥
You had a 2300 sq. ft. home (most likely with) a basement in VT and moved to a 1600 sq. ft. home (most likely) without one in AZ, which, from what I've felt when looking at homes in AZ, is a HUGE difference!
My parents have a 1600 sq. ft. condo in "The Valley" and when I visit, I really think about how few possessions one can have in a space like that to not be buried in stuff.
In 1985 we moved from a 1 BR apartment to a 1600 sq. ft. home (with a basement). We were able to move ourselves with a couple trips with the rental truck. Moved to a 2300 sq. ft. home years later and despite spending a week carrying car loads of stuff to the new house, completely filled a moving van. We've since added 300+ sq. ft. on to the house (expanded the basement too since it's a walkout, but basement sq. footage isn't included in the total).
I wasn't the instigator behind the larger house or the addition, but I went along with it. I've always felt that I was happiest in our first home despite being in the larger home over 20 years now. I'm not unhappy now, but we have so much stuff it's insane.
I've begun to get rid of unused/unneeded things as I'm terrified about what life will be like if we find that we need to move/downsize and I no longer have the energy/capacity to deal with it.
Anyway, thank you so much for your videos that help me realize what I really need/want to do!
I never thought I'd like to move to a small condo, but now 4 1/2 years later, I love it! So much easier to maintain.
Oh Joshua! You rocked this video 🎉 Great work man. Nice b roll and pace.
We have lived in our 1600 sq ft home for 24 years! Raised 2 kiddos here, now empty nest. When friends are downsizing at this life stage I smile because I get to keep my beautiful country home that I love! However... clutter has accumulated over 2 decades of family life, so you and Dawn are helping me reverse that 😍...thank you!!
When we bought our home we had 2 boys .... while living there we had 2 more boys. We raised 4 boys in a 1400 sq ft home. (with no garage). Were there times I wish we had more space? Sure but now that all my boys are grown (27,26,22,19) and our house will be paid for this year I am super happy we stuck it out!
We currently live in a 3,500 square foot home. We bought it because there are 6 people in our home. My mom lives with us and we wanted everyone to have their own space. I feel blessed to have our home but I have never been able to truly maintain it and it is becoming a burden. I feel terrible saying that but it’s too much. Minimizing has helped. I am ready to move to a smaller home. Something about 1,800 square feet.... thanks Joshua. I really enjoy your videos.
I’m the youngest of 10 children, I grew up in a 3 bedroom home. 1 room for parents, 1 for 4 boys (1full size bed and set bunk beds, 1 room for 6 girls with 2 full size beds, 3 in each bed. I was 5 before actually sleeping with my sisters. Eventually the older kids moved out leaving 1 boy in a room and 1room i SHARED with my sister. were we giggled, talked , and participated it that that wonderful sport of Kicking Fighting.. Let’s not forget the 1 bathroom we all shared. I think the word of the day was SHARING. Whats funny is, once our kids were grown, my sister and I live in apartments right across from the other. 🤷♀️
Holy crap! Sorry.
I too have moved from a 2300sf house to a 1500sf condo built in the early 70's, that needs updating. As I plan to replace appliances, I will be going against current trends by buying smaller appliances. Current trend for refrigerators is toward a huge double or even triple door refrigerator. There are 3 markets very near my place so I'll be using a refrigerator under 16cf. The thinking is, why not let the grocery store keep the food cold? A smaller dishwasher means more cabinet space in the smaller kitchen. No to double ovens and 5/6 burner cooktops that are used once a year. Lots of opportunities to size down and occupy a smaller footprint and use less resources.
I love the idea of living in a smaller house. I lived in a 700 sq ft apartment which I loved since it was much easier to maintain and didn’t consume so much of my weekend so I could do other things I enjoy doing. When I was able to buy a house I ended up buying one twice the size of my apartment. It came with furniture plus I brought a lot of my own. After living here for three years I am so ready to go back to something smaller, even smaller than my apartment, about a 1/3 if the size of my house. As I get closer to retirement I want to be able to do things and not spend a lot of time cleaning and maintaining. There is a large percentage of my house that I really don’t use and could easily live without. Also I want to pair down the furniture I have. I like the openness of empty rooms. So freeing of mind and spirit. I love watching your channel. I am contemplating a move to a different state as well and will be searching for a tiny house filled with only the things that mean most to me.
Good for you! I like small spaces. I just retired a couple of weeks ago and downsized to a 600 square foot house. It is a stucco cottage in southern Ontario on a lot that’s quite large. That means I get to grow my own food and I am very close to lake Simcoe. It’s at the bottom of my street. I have gotten rid of so much stuff, but I will be getting a new paddle board. I couldn’t be happier. Hurray for small town life!! I couldn’t be more thrilled.
Great video, I agree with all your points. Our family of 5 went from living in a 2600 sqft home with a fully finished 1300 sqft basement to an apartment just under 1000 sqft. No regrets.
Almost 3 years ago, our family of 2 adults, 2 teens and 2 dogs moved states for work. We left a 1600sq ft 2floor house with a big double garage and moved into a 1000sq ft condo with no garage. We downsized our possessions so much that we were able to drive away from our previous home with only a single UHaul truck of things. It’s been liberating! I’ll never go back.
I thought I was the only one who thinks smaller house is much better than a big house. Great points by the way, Sir Joshua! 😊
I went from 1200 sq ft town house to 400 sq ft - just me and my daughter- 12 yrs ago love it - in Staten Island NY - in one of the best neighborhood - and no mortgage! Living free and happy
Rare to see such contentment! Beautiful! 😊 So much to think about.👍
The home my former husband and I owned years ago was a "cottage home" built in the 1930's in what is now a trendy neighborhood. It wasn't when we purchased the house in the early 80's. It was approximately 1400 sq feet; 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath, large utility room, deck and decent size back yard. When I sold the house I moved into a 1 bedroom apartment that was less than half the size. I held an "estate sale" since I was selling the majority of the big items in the house including stereo set, washer/dryer, dining table, etc. I LOVED the smaller space. I've now moved several times to various 1 bedroom apartments, my current being 624 sq. feet and I've been thinking of looking for a smaller 1 bedroom or a nice studio. Amazing the relatively small amount of space one really "needs."
The house I grew up in( only child) is about 684 sq ft.
I really like the idea of being able to put quality into the upgrades for a smaller home. I am in the early stages of minimalizing, but I look forward to the freedom of space and peacefulness with the results.
Joshua, I am an older adult who owned her own homes for many years. When I wanted to move to the town of my dreams I was unable to afford something desirable, so I chose to rent an apartment. I'm surprised that this is the right choice for me at this stage of my life, but it makes sense for several reasons:
I no longer have the emotional and financial stress of home maintenance.
There is a sense of community because many people live in close proximity.
If I ever want to make a different choice, all I need to do is wait for my lease to expire and I can be out.
👍
Me and my husband live in 1,056 s.f. We have a 1 car, detached garage. We plan to sell and will be looking for a home with an attached garage (better suited for our age and convenience). We would like to have a sunroom and we don't want anything larger than a 1,200 s.f. home. 🏡
Yippie! We are in 1600 sq. feet too. Family of 7. We have been here almost 18 years. You nailed all the great points.
Just moved from 3600 sq ft house to a >1600 soft. Paid off in 5 months. We love this move. There seems to be more of everything here than it ever was.
Our home is 1050 sq. ft. on the main floor. We alao have a full basement but don't use it a lot. We are a family of 4, I'm a working mom with a disabled husband, and have just started our minimalism journey. I completely feel like I can't keep our small house clean and can't wait until we have even less stuff. I completely agree with all your points. Thanks for this video and the renewed inspiration it has brought me!
I like the idea of having a small home, but there is high quality. I've always thought like that, and that is how I intend to build my home.
Hello! I watch your channel from Athens Greece. I'm trying to simplify my life and I like your advices. However, your home is much bigger than the apartments that the average family of four owns in Greece.
We are happy if we live in 1300 sq.f. Anyway, l love your stance of life and you inspire me to make changes. Thank you so much.
I live in Copenhagen (capital of Denmark) in a 47 squaremeter appartement with my two sons age 19 and 20. Close to the center, lots of shops, cafés, public transportation etc.
The rent is tiny and we enjoy the freedom that comes with that.
I now only work 4 days a week and that helps me overcome a hard job.
Moving to this place is one of the best decisions I've made in my life.
Greetings from Camilla in Denmark
Still almost double the size of homes in the UK new build for 5 people is 80-90 sq m
This guy is in a 1600 square foot house and calls it small!!!
We currently live in an 1100 sq ft home. We just sold and since we’re empty nesters, we’re moving into a brand new home we’re building - 840 sq feet. Can’t wait and agree with your views totally!
I’m from So. Burlington, VT. Moved to Greensboro, NC. 2 years ago and loving the simplified life.
Joshua, all of this, just all of it, is us. This sounds like us! Our family is a family of four, too. One son, older, one daughter, younger. We went from 2600 sq ft to just over 1400 sq ft, only difference is....we made this switch ( 3 yrs ago ) when our kids were 19 and 15, so we made this switch when our son was ready to be on his own, finishing college.
We then downsized to just over 1400 sq ft with just our daughter still at home with us.
Yes, for every single reason that you have mentioned, we love this change, too ! And funny, my husband and I have talked about these same points ( resale, higher quality home, easy to maintain, safe neighborhood). If you read this, it's a shout out to say, "Hello from MO:)" Your book, The More of Less , helped to jumpstart this journey for us.
God's Blessings to you and yours 😊
My husband and I went from a 1500 sq ft penthouse in a city of over a million to a 300 sq ft 5th wheel in a rural town of 4500 people. It was exhilarating to get rid of all that STUFF. We continue to purge every season, clothes, seasonal items etc. Although it is small to clean, you have more to move more things around. It is paid for and we live a much fuller lifestyle. You don't need to go shopping for things you use once. We are happily almost retired and when we do we can travel more once the borders open up.
Thank you so much for your inspirational videos, minimalism is the way to go, it really is.
Totally agree. At one point about 10 years ago I did sort of wish we could have a bigger house, but about 8 years ago started to be so grateful for our “used to be normal size” 3 bedroom house. Easy to clean and maintain, more than enough room for family of 3, easy to spend time together, and most importantly has a lovely vibe and we all enjoy being home (even our university aged daughter). It’s our reasonably minimalist (except for our daughters room:) happy place. Who could wish for more.
What about being minimalist in eating .while eating ask yourself after a minute is it enough .be sure your body answer you yes.I am a minimalist a few days a go .and happy to tell you being minimalist in eating is very interesting.I love your voice your speaking and your mannner
That's interesting.
Gbwvvdd Xsjkeekgn might I also add, you should ask yourself, do I need meat/dairy/eggs when a plant-based diet is more environmentally conscious, efficient and free of unnecessary cruelty and burden on natural resources? For example, the average farmed animal consumes 16 times more plant food (including soy) than 1 person on a plant-based diet. Most of the world’s grains feed farmed animals, thereby causing world hunger in developing countries.
We moved into this 2000 sq ft split level home 2 yrs ago n even tho we love it I’m having knee issues at 61 yrs old. I wanted to down size to a smaller home single level but I have specific needs for the next house. Getting rid of 28 yrs of accumulated stuff is overwhelming but this video is very encouraging. Thank you
Family bonds easier. You said it! We love our small family house for that reason too.
I came to the same conclusion on my own. Proud of myself LOL Will be buying my first house soon, will be looking for a small house in a good area.
Studied interior design with the New York School of Interior Design. First lesson of good design, restraint! "less is more"! Too bad many designers don't follow that basic rule of thumb, many overdo it! Thanks for sharing 10 good reasons for going smaller! Love my small home as well, much cozier and yes, easier to maintain! Also , better for the environment!
Great video! I love having a small(ish) house. We have 3 kids and live in a 1400sq foot house and it’s perfect. I have no desire for a large home. It’s so fast and easy to tidy up and clean, and much more economical. And a lot less expensive. I’d rather put my extra money towards retirement and travel an having higher quality furnishings.
Best home we ever bought was a new 3bd 2ba 1200 sq ft house in East Mesa AZ that was incredibly well designed. For a builder grade home, it shined. It housed me, my wife, and our three children. It had a slightly longer garage that allowed us to house two desks from the model home sales office they discarded plus wire shelving on wheels that held gardening supplies and tools. We managed to fit a Geo Prizm and Chrysler Voyager minivan in it too. It was snug but workable.
We thought we were going to be taking care of my mother due to her vision problems so we sold our little house thinking we'd go in together on a larger home. Turns out she was exaggerating her vision problem so we opted out but it was too late to stay in our cute little home. The buyer wouldn't back out. The next home (1,688 sq ft) had one extra bedroom with the same exact dimensions as the secondary bedrooms of the smaller home and added a family room. We almost never used the living room. The Mbr was exactly the same size as the smaller home with a slightly larger bathroom. All we did was to separate our boys into their own rooms. Upkeep on this home was monstrous compared to the smaller one. If you don't think 500 sq ft more doesn't make a big difference, think again. I marvel how much stuff we accumulated in the 12 years we lived in it. When we moved to Wyoming for me to attend Bible College, we got rid of enough stuff to occupy a 650 sq ft 2bd 1.5ba student apartment with all we owned. School officials marveled at how we were able to fit everything we owned from such a large house (by comparison) into such a small space. It was an adventure but I'd have gotten rid of more if I had to do it all over again.
I live in a massive house (with my parents and sister) , and I will definitely not be continuing the trend for my own family. I’m grateful for the life I have, but I can go days without seeing my family...
and we are trying to redecorate, and it’s such a giant fast because of how many rooms and how much space there is.
I love your home! My husband and I have lived in a "small" home for over a year now and we love it. We found an adorable newly constructed brick ranch in a great neighborhood, so we pounced. We were also able to keep the price point lower, as we are determined to pay off our home very quickly. I ENJOY cleaning my home and it doesn't take much to get my chores finished. Despite the size (1650 sq ft) it is neat and clutter-free, thanks to minimalism. It's very cozy and inviting as well. I've also noticed that the smaller ranch homes in my neighborhood sell very quickly. I guess there are many others who appreciate a small home as well. My ONLY regret in purchasing this home is that we did not pay to get hardwood floors throughout, but as you mentioned, the cost will be minimal to replace our carpets with the flooring that we prefer.
In 2020 I bought myself a one room apartment in Oslo, and I love it. I have given away alot of furniture and stuff since I moved here, and I have not struggeled with that at all.....For me declutter and minimalism is peace, love and happiness !!! I will live in this apartement for the rest of my life !!! I have never thought of this one room as too small, but everyday I am grateful for what I have.
Thank you as always for your insight into living minimally and intentionally. My husband and I went from 1800 to 1400 to now an apartment of 825. We love it! My family doesn’t understand or like our minimalist lifestyle but don’t care! I feel they are missing out. Less space, less stuff, happy life!
This video was simply a joy to watch. I especially loved the smile at the end of the part where you talked about how a small house facilitates your family working out conflicts. You seemed so at ease!
I enjoyed that too. But I thought that was because he included the kids and his wife, working out conflicts, but not him. LOL
I sure he was having a joke saying that. Of course he has conflicts too.
Amazing! You have just validated my theory all along. I have had been contemplating moving to a bigger home but then after much thought there are more important things in life than being in debt. Ironically not looking to get rich but with my smaller home I have more money than someone living in an upscale neighbourhood. Looking ahead I will have more money in the bank when I retire than those who are on a mortgage for life.Seeing a big light at the end of the tunnel❤️ BTW, I live in a 1600 square foot home and it has tripled in price since I purchased. I know not many are as fortunate but start small and you will get there!
Wow,I've lived in the same 1356 sq ft home for 27 yrs,raised 5 children here,and could easily live in a 700 sq ft home.Though property tax's would be much more,really do not want to give 7% to a realtor,uncle sam,and countless other expenses associated with moving .A year ago I began renting 4 of the 6 bedrooms for $2160 mo income,nearly utilizing all the space.Now at 53, I enjoy living on the rent money,still live on less than I make,and love life of experiences taking in every moment with family,loved ones and friends.
We live in Sydney and bought a small home and in 14 yrs time we paid it off,we just live within our means.
Your wisdom is a blessing,watching your videos is so enlightening.
Downsizing is so freeing! I wish we never got a bigger house. I love my new home and don't regret the change.
We are a family of 4 (2 under 3 yrs) and live in a house that is 600 sq ft. Yeah...i don't know if i can agree with the cleaning part. But that's because i have two toddlers that destroy everything everyday regardless of how much i clean 😅
I live in a 1000 sq ft condo with my remaining two sons. One is grown and on his own. It is a great size for us. The only problem is we have to rent because I can’t find a small enough home I like to buy. All of the homes in my area are larger than I want. It seems almost like they build them that way to try to force people to take on as much mortgage as possible. When my sons (twins) graduate high school (2021, thank God!) I’m going to look into moving to a different area so that I can purchase a small home I like.
We're getting ready for our 3rd down size from 2300 to 1300 sq' and I can't wait! Lots of purging (responsibly, of course) currently going on here.
Empty nesters, still living in a 4300 sq ft house in central Georgia..have been decluttering for several years...I want to downsize so badly but not sure where I want to live (want to leave Columbus Ga). I love my house but am ready for less maintenance, lower monthly bills, NO POOL, etc. Help!
Sad music for Linda, she sounds in deep trouble 🙂
I’m in a similar situation. Have almost finished decluttering. Best method was to only keep what I used and have never missed anything I gave away and have loved the peace and the tranquility of less stuff. Packing party technique was also good for this. Not sure where I want to move too long term but am just going to bite the bullet and make the first step. Have told myself that if I don’t like the next place then it’s ok and I can always move again. Much easier now with less stuff.
We live in a 1230 square foot personage. We are debt free and we have 2 teens. We like it and I'm content. We all get along well and I love being a minimalist. I enjoy your channel.
1600 square feet? I live in 870 square feet with my two sons and 4 Cats. This is the “normal” size of an apartment in Austria. Also the kitchen is 3 times as big as mine 🤣. This is so interesting.
me same... 860 square feet in UK.... and my house is a normal house...!!!
I think you're onto an important point: while the average Austrian home is smaller than the average (newer) American home, the number of rooms is comparable. While a larger kitchen can be nice for entertaining guests, most of the extra space in an American house is not particularly useful. There's really no reason that bathrooms and bedrooms need to be large enough to fit 20 people inside them, but that's often how big they are.
Living in a small house definitely keeps the family close! It did for us!
I used to can't wait for the day I had a huge home, after becoming minimalist I can't do that anymore and doesn't interest me anymore. I like my apartment and I'm able to have everything I need and don't need any more.
You can do other things too
I completely agree with you Joshua! BTW - Loving all of your videos on Minimalism and taking note of each and every tip you give. I am designing and planning (and saving) to build a smaller home for myself. I have managed to design a home that only has 415.2 sq. ft. It is bigger than a tiny home, and will be built slab on grade. I am older (56 years old) and after living with a hoarder for almost 20 years and being stressed out over the clutter, not to mention I am highly allergic to dust and 12 years ago became chemically sensitive...I just gravitated towards the minimalist lifestyle. I initially wanted to build a "tiny house" but decided that would be too small for me...lol. However, I was able to get great tips on creative ways to store things researching tiny house shows/videos/websites. I can personally attest to clutter can make you sick, and spending all of my time cleaning is simply insane. My husband is the hoarder, and I am letting go of things that don't really matter...and keeping things that bring me "joy". I have been able to let go of almost half of the things I own! I will continue to pare it down even more. My husband refuses to seek help for his problem and won't allow me to help...so he might be another thing I may have to "let go of" in the near future. It isn't worth being sick over. I wanted to share something I did that helped me and will hopefully help other folks. I had drawers filled with cards that I had received over the past 20 years, drawings my daughter did throughout her school days, and anything that was hand-made. All of these things are very dear to me, however, they were simply taking up too much room. What I did: I scanned everything. I scanned the front and back of cards, I scanned the envelopes with name and addresses, I scanned all of my daughter's art-work and cards from her over the years. If I could scan it - - I did. I then saved it to a file on my computer - - then I put them on USB sticks - - I also put them all on an external hard drive (for backup). I then threw all of it away. The cards, the art-work, etc. (And yes - it was very hard to part with some of the things my daughter did...I actually cried over some). I then invested in 3 electronic photo frames. Using the USB sticks, I am now able to display all of it and see it anytime I want. I even put them on a DVD and made some movies using my Movie Maker software program and set it to Music. The point - - I freed 6 drawers that now have space for other things that I use on a daily basis. And I have all of the cards/art work saved where I can watch them as a movie, or watch them on my digital photo frames. Hope this helps!
Thanks again for all of your tips and thank you so much for doing these videos!!!!! It has helped me greatly, and I am on my way to living my own Minimalist/Happy Life. :)
In our mid-60’s and downsizing after having raised a very large family… It’s still a sizable house (from 2600 - 2300) but all on one floor, with just 2 BR + den.. Small living spaces with large gathering zones for our X-lg family and 24 grandkids!
Scaling down is real and vital… this is indeed a total makeover in my life-emphasis & daily focus! Less “schtuff n junque” will ease alot; including relationship tensions. Pray me thru the transition and paring process, people!! 🤣
I know it’s a different world than when I grew up (1960s Connecticut ‘burbs), but I think 1600 SF for a family of four is large. My growing up home saw a family of 6 live in 1000 SF with ONE bathroom, a challenge? Yes. Trying at times? For sure! But, we did okay. 2200 SF for a family of 4 is just astounding to me.
I,m Dutch. It is always funny to read the stories about small houses and kitchens (sorry). Sometimes I see a "small" kitchen bigger than an entire Dutch house. I grew up in a 600 square feet house with 3 brothers and a sister. I plan to move to a 55+ apartment next year which is going to be about 700 square feet. The standard size senior apartment (all rental) is not even 400 square feet
I am doing the same moving from the country in Texas from a 2,400sqft house to a 1,600sqft in Austin, we are 3. i am so happy it will be easier to maintain, less in property tax, closer to work, less expensive, etc..
We did the same downsizing! 2200 ft.² to 1600 ft.².
In California, the mortgage is double and the taxes are double of Tennessee. We miss our old house, but I have been decluttering and it feels more spacious.
I grew up in 1100 ft.². Your home is so much bigger than many other places. It’s not that small
Wow! You moved from Vermont to Arizona? Seriously!? Can’t imagine leaving Vermont. Beautiful lush mountains, fresh water, good healthy organic food in abundance to dry, hot, bland (did I mention hot). /Great points in video.
We loved Vermont. We love Arizona. I also loved South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin when I lived there. Beauty everywhere.
@@JoshuaBecker depends which part of ND 😂 I grew up there and now live in MN which is sooo beautiful!
I agree with your reasons for loving a small home. Many of our family members were concered that we weren't going to buy a big enough house for our family (4 kids). But honestly, we love our home. It would stress me out to have a bigger one!
I agree! We just moved and smaller is better. Keeping it clean is easier, less expensive, and I enjoy the openness of not crowding it with stuff (that I have been decluttering in the last year). And I actually made money while decluttering! Win Win!
Point #4 reminds me of a country song from the 90's called "Little Houses" sung by Doug Stone. 🎶"Love grows best in little houses."🎶 💕
faith chic my apartment has 350sqm and it’s bursting with love ❤️
Great reasons to endorse smaller living spaces. With families and children in particular being so busy with all the extra curricular activities, how much time do families actually spend in their homes? I especially loved your point on the separation of people when they are home. My grandkids text their parents from their bedrooms. Makes me so sad 😞
Thanks Joshua. We living in a smaller home it's so easy to make it cozy and have your personality in the decoration.
I recently bought a brand new one bed 60sq metre apartment. Its beautiful and plenty of space for me. But people ask why didnt i get a bigger place, I should get 2 bedrooms or buy a house?? Why would i need so much space when i live alone? And why would i want a bigger mortage that i cant afford? I'd rather have a small home and more money :)
Great video. My first home was 1800 square feet with a small yard. My second home over 2400 square feet on 1 acre. I am so ready to downsize again. yard is too much work and maintaining the house is hard to keep up with.
You can definitely afford higher quality items in a smaller home if you wish. Also holidays😅. Agree you are also limited on storage so buy less. We live in the UK in a 'bungalow' it has 5 rooms and this includes kitchen and bathroom
We downsized from 4,400 to 2,600 sq. ft. (retired) and it was so liberating. We still have plenty of room but so much less responsibility. Our property taxes are 20% of what they were. We also live in a community where we can downsize again if we want to. Also have plenty of assisted living if we ever need it. We can age in place where we live now.
Big house is not only about living, it's an investment. If you make enough money they have to work instead of feeding inflation. Real estate is a good investment.
Yes, yes yes to all these same reasons!! Love our small home. :)
Twenty years ago we bought a big home (3700 sq.ft.) At the time we did it because we loved the neighbourhood and also knew it would be a good investment. It has been a tremendous investment. The one negative that bothers me the most is that we have been able to bring a lot of clutter into it. After so many years we have a lot of decluttering to do. I’m very eager and motivated to do so but my husband and 23 year old son are not. I have started but there’s only so much I can do.😥
Lynn here we went to a senior apt.two coat closets is our only storage .needless to say we had to downsize.we have just what we need in a 500 ft. Apt.
I think your new home is huge lol
We are in a 2800 sqft house. I would LOVE to downsize but my husband is totally against moving. Our house is on 3 lots in town and we have no neighbors directly beside and he loves the outdoor space and I get we will never find another place with a backyard like ours but jeezz we did our roof 2 years ago, well $17,000 later.... If that doesn't want to make him move I dont think anything will..
Our family of 4 lives in a 2 bedroom home. We have 2 boys and they have bunk beds ( until recently the youngest has been in our room and is transitioning to sleeping on the bottom bunk at night). I was talking to my friend’s about it and she told me that she was one of 6 siblings that grew up in a 2 bedroom home. The parents and the girls had a bedroom and the boys had beds wherever there was space. There was a day bed at the end of the hallway for one, and by the time the youngest came around the only space for his crib was next to the tv. He’s in his 60s now and perfectly fine. The only thing is, he still needs the tv on really loud to be able to fall asleep.😂. I guess my point is that people have been making small houses work for families of all sizes for forever, kids are adaptable, and it’s all going to be ok.
I live in UK in a tradicional home, 860 square foot in 2 floors....your house here is a palace!!!! 😃
900sq ft in southern CT! At $135,000 it was an absolute steal.
I just find your channel and I like how you explain the benefits to live a simple and happy life...thank you for the information and keep going♡